Flue-thimble.



R. HALL.

FLUE THIMBLB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.12, 1910.

Patented July 19, 1910.

union RALPH HALL, OF LEADWOOD, 'MISSOURI.

FLUE-THIMBLE.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RALPH T'TALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leadwood, in the county of St. Francois and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue-Thimbles, of which the following is a specification, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in flue thimbles for stove pipes and has for its object to provide a very simple device of this character formed from one piece of sheet metal the extremities of which are adapted to be connected and secured in any suitable manner to form the thimble and carrying suitable means for securing the same in the chimney flue and retaining the stove pipe therein.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of a thimble having a plurality of clamping plates adapted to engage upon the periphery of the stove pipe, the outer edge of the body of the thimble being flanged between the clamping plates to pro vide suitable guides therefor.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section through the chimney wall, showing my improved thimble arranged therein, the stove pipe being shown in position; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the thimble; Fig. 3 is a front end elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank showing the clamping and retaining plates formed thereon.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 5 indicates the chimney wall in the flue opening of which my improved thimble is adapted to be arranged. This thimble is formed from a single length of sheet iron 6 and as shown in Fig. l is out between its ends inwardly from one of its longitudinal edges beyond center whereby a plurality of arms or plates 7 are provided. A number of these arms, preferably three are bent upon the remaining body portion of the sheet metal strip as shown at 7 and disposed within the thimble as shown in Fig. 1, the extremities of these arms extending beyond the edge of the strip. It will be noted that between the arms 7 there is a space equal Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 12, 1910.

Patented July 19, 1910. Serial No. 548,853.

to the width of two of the arms '7, said arms extending oppositely to the arms 7, and having their extremities bent as at 8 for engagcn'ient with the inner surface of the chimney wall over the edge of the line opening. Upon each end sheet metal strip 6 one of the arms 7 remain, which when the ends of the strip are brought together and properly secured form another pair of the securing arms, thus providing three clamping arms 7 and three pairs of the securing arms 7. In this manner a very secure engagement of the thimble with the chimney wall is secured while at the same time the resiliency of the clamping arms 7 will be amply sufiicient to re tain the stove pipe in its proper position. It will also be observed that from their inner ends the clamping. arms 7 are normally inclined outwardly to closely engage upon the inner surface of the stove pipe, the pipe being inserted between the arms and the body of the thimble. The outer ends of the clamping arms 7' would preferably be slightly bent to form a rib 9 thereon which is adapted to engage in a peripheral groove provided in stove pipes as generally constructed thereby more eiiiciently serving to prevent longitudinal movement of the pipe. The opposite ends of the sheet metal strip 6 are formed with the interlocking edge portions 10 which extend from the outer end of the thimble to the inner end of the arms 7 and are formed in the usual manner and hammered to secure the opposing edges of the strip together. It will of course be understood that if desired outwardly extend ing flanges may be formed upon the ends of the strip which may be riveted or otherwise secured together. The outer circumscribing edge of the thimble is also formed with an outwardly extending annular flange 11, which is adapted to engage with the outer face of the chimney wall and limit the inward movement of the thimble. The thimble may also be arranged with the old thimble which was first arranged in the flue open- 1n From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and many advantages to be obtained by the use of my improved thimble will be readily understood. The device is simple, highly efficient in use, and extremely economical to manu-.

facture. Owing to the fact that the thimble is formed from one continuous length of of the sheet metal, the maximum durability in devices of this character is attained, and that by its peculiar construction the thimble may be securely fixed in the flue opening and will retain the stove pipe therein against all liability of its accidental removal. The point of connection of the arms 7 and the body of the thimble also serves to limit the inward movement of the pipe into the flue opening.

While I have shown and described the particular manner in which my improved thimble would preferably be constructed, and have described the same as being formed from sheet metal, it will be understood that the device is susceptible of numerous variations in the form, proportions and details of construction, and that it may also be made of other metals than sheet iron, without departing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advan tages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is A device of the character described comprising a single length of sheet metal out between its ends inwardly from one of its longitudinal edgesto :its center to provide a plurality of resilient arms, certain of said arms being bent over upon the body of the plate to provide a'pair of arms between the arms so bent, the ends ofthe arms which are not bent being flanged for engagement over the inner edge of the flue opening of a chimney wall, said strip having its ends suitably connected together and disposed in said opening, the edge of the strip which is not out being also flanged for engagement with the outer face of the wall, the outwardly extending resilient arms being adapted to receive a circumferentially corrugated pipe between themselves and the body of the plate, the extremities of said arms being each formed with a rib for engagement in one of the corrugations of the stove pipe, the connection between the rear ends of said arms and the plate acting as stops to limit the inward movement 01": the pipe.

In signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RALPH HALL.

J. G. HALL.

testimony whereof I hereunto affix my 

